Children with autism are getting extra support for having a successful dental appointment while college students are cutting their teeth with real clients, thanks to a continued community collaboration between Niagara College and Bethesda’s Children and Youth Services.

NC and Bethesda are hosting dedicated dental hygiene clinics for children with autism spectrum disorder at NC’s Welland Campus. About 20 children were welcomed to NC’s Dental Clinic on March 20, and about 20 clients are expected when the clinics continue on April 3.

The clinics offer dental hygiene services at a reduced cost to the children – who are clients of Bethesda – conducted by NCDental Hygiene students, with support from students from the College’s Autism and Behavioural Science (ABS) program.

“We are pleased to combine the expertise within our Dental Hygiene and Autism Behavioral Science programs to help support community children and their families,” said Angela Butt, NC Dean, Allied Health and Nursing. “We value our continued collaboration with Bethesda, which offers experiential and interdisciplinary learning opportunities for our students and gives them a chance to use their skills to help make a difference in the community.”

“This initiative showcases NC’s focus on developing strong mutually beneficial partnerships that support a community need,” said Carol Phillips, NC Dean, Community Services, Justice and Fitness Studies.

“Bethesda is excited to partner with the Niagara College Dental Hygiene and Autism Behavioural Sciences programs to provide a valuable dental clinic to the children we support. It is part of our mission at Bethesda to provide collaborative, flexible, and holistic support, empowering people to build their capacity throughout life,” said Melissa Sullivan, Manager of Children’s Services at Bethesda. “By working collaboratively with Niagara College professionals, we aim to provide children and families with support to have a successful visit to the dentist, as well as to provide a valuable, learning opportunity for the students in these programs.”

The clinics continue a collaboration between NC’s dental and ABS programs, and Bethesda which began in 2018.

“Bethesda is proud to work collaboratively with Niagara College on projects like this,” said Bethesda’s CEO Paul McGowan. “This partnership is a perfect example of how community partners can come together to improve the lives of those in our community.”

More than 50 senior Dental Hygiene students are involved with the initiative this Winter term. Taking on the role of clinicians, students participate in assessments, oral hygiene coaching, and work in pairs to conduct a range of dental services including oral examinations, cleaning, polishing, individual oral hygiene instruction, radiographs, fluoride treatments, and sealants.

The experience helps Dental Hygiene students fulfill clinical skills and core competency requirements in their program and much more.

“We’re testing skills, knowledge and patience. For dental students, participating in these appointments is not just about completing treatments and completing clinical requirements, it’s about providing a fulsome experience for their clients, and helping them to feel comfortable in the dental chair,” said Dental Programs Manager Michelle Thibault. “It’s an opportunity for students to gain clinical experience with a child client, a client with special needs, and an opportunity for interdisciplinary learning, and to collaborate with a community partner.”

“Dental is about teamwork; our Dental Hygiene students become part of circle of care with an interprofessional collaborative approach as they work and learn from faculty and students from our ABS program.”

Students are challenged to think critically about the process of care by providing oral health services to individuals from a diverse population with unique needs.

“I want as much experience and exposure with this as possible. Every client is different and it is my job to help treat the client accordingly, in a way that will make their experience better,” said Mikayla Giannone (Waterdown/ Welland) who is also a recent graduate of NC’s Dental Assisting program. “Having the chance to learn about children with autism and then getting to work with them in clinic will be extremely rewarding.”

“As I move forward with my career path, this experience will certainly help me to feel more confident when communicating with, and providing treatment for individuals coming from diverse backgrounds,” said Adriana Sansotta (Bolton/ St. Catharines).

Students also benefit from the interdisciplinary collaboration involved between the Dental Hygiene and ABS program.

In early March, Professor Taryn Walsh helped to prepare Dental Hygiene students for their clinics by visiting their class to provide information about autism, ABA strategies, and how they can support clients for a successful appointment.

“Going to the dentist is not an everyday experience for children, and we want it to be a positive experience for Bethesda’s clients,” said Walsh. “We want our students to learn how a child with autism may experience the appointment differently, and what they can do to support the child and their family during the appointment.”

About 20 ABS students are participating in this term’s dental clinics with Bethesda to observe and offer support when needed. The experience they gain will count as part of their required placement hours. An Applied Behaviour Analysis Clinician from Bethesda is also present during the appointments for client support.

“The dental clinics for children with autism will provide me with the opportunity to see how children with autism respond and adapt to new environments and new people,” said ABS student Natasha Desjardins (Welland). “I also believe that I will learn many useful strategies that can be used to support children with autism when they are entering new environments and meeting new people. Each individual with autism is different, so I am looking forward to observing their overall behaviour.”

The dental hygiene clinics on March 20 and April 3 were offered to children between the ages of five and 17 registered to the Ontario Autism Program, who are clients of Bethesda’s Children’s Behaviour Services. Pre-registration was required as spaces were limited.

Bethesda is a non-profit organization that aims to support children and youth and adults with special needs in its communities. For info on Children and Youth Services, visit bethesdaservices.com/en/youth/home.

For information about the NC Dental Clinic visit niagaracollege.ca/alliedhealth/dental-clinic/.

Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 9,500 students from over 80 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.